Cloud Deployment Models

7 min readJun 8, 2022

What Is A Cloud Deployment Model?

A cloud deployment model refers to an arrangement of specific environment variables like accessibility and ownership of the distributing framework and storage size. There are various types of deployment models based on the location and who manages the infrastructure.

The Need for Different Cloud Deployment Models

At times companies manage their data centers with older features. It is not possible to move to the public cloud for many reasons, it could be to avoid compromising on compliance and data protection laws or they might just be unsure about moving to the public cloud because they would have spent loads of money on their own servers and they would want to utilize them. To decide which cloud deployment model suits your organization, it is important to have a thorough understanding of all 5 cloud deployment models.

Different Types Of Cloud Computing Deployment Models

Most cloud hubs have tens of thousands of servers and storage devices to enable fast loading. It is often possible to choose a geographic area to put the data “closer” to users. Thus, deployment models for cloud computing are categorized based on their location. To know which model would best fit the requirements of your organization, let us first learn about the various types.

Public Cloud

The public cloud deployment model is the most popular one. In a public cloud deployment model, you do not own any hardware, since all the resources are provided by the cloud service provider. It is available for the general public and the resources can be used by all. The data is generated and stored by third-party service providers which means companies need not maintain their hardware.

The public cloud deployment model works well with companies with little privacy concerns. Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), AWS (Amazon Web Services), Microsoft Azure, IBM Cloud, Google Cloud, Salesforce Heroku are a few examples of public cloud deployments.

Benefits of Public Cloud

Minimal Investment — As a pay-per-use service, there is no large upfront cost and is ideal for businesses who need quick access to resources
No Hardware Set-up — The entire infrastructure is fully funded by the cloud service providers
No Infrastructure Management — Does not require an in-house team to utilize the public cloud

Limitations of Public Cloud

Data Security and Privacy Concerns — Since it is accessible to all, it does not fully protect against cyber-attacks and could lead to vulnerabilities
Reliability Issues — Since the same server network is open to a wide range of users, it can lead to malfunction and outages
Service/License Limitation — While there are many resources that you can exchange with tenants, there is a cap on usage

Private Cloud

From a technical perspective, there is not much difference between the public and private ls since their architecture is similar. But in a private cloud deployment model, a dedicated environment is present for every customer. There is no sharing of hardware with any other users. Hence it is also called ‘internal’ or ‘corporate model’.

In private cloud model, you maintain the data center just like it is done in public cloud model. An abstraction layer is created on top of your physical servers to gain flexibility. New servers can be added to the data center and there is no need to configure them again as they have semi-automatically become a part of the cluster. It is possible to get a private cloud from a public cloud provider.

Red Hat OpenStack, CISCO, DELL, Rackspace, IBM Bluemix Private Cloud, Microsoft Azure Stack, and VMware Private Cloud are some of the examples of a private cloud.

Benefits of Private Cloud

Data Privacy — It is ideal for storing corporate data where only authorized personnel gets access
Security — Segmentation of resources within the same infrastructure can help with better access and higher levels of security
Supports Legacy Systems — This model supports legacy systems that cannot access the public cloud

Limitations of Private Cloud

Higher Cost — With the benefits that you get, the investment will also be larger than the public cloud. Here, you will pay for software, hardware and resources for staff and training.
Fixed Scalability — The hardware you choose will accordingly help you scale in a certain direction
High Maintenance — Since it is managed in-house, the maintenance costs also increase

Community Cloud

The community cloud operates in a way that is similar to the public cloud. There’s just one difference — it allows access to only a specific set of users who share common objectives and use cases. This type of deployment model of cloud computing is managed and hosted internally or by a third-party vendor. However, you can also choose a combination of all three.

This type of multi-tenant data center infrastructure helps groups of companies which have uniform security, privacy and similar performance requirements. It also improves the efficiency and smooth workflow of these participating companies in case of joint projects. With the help of centralized cloud, project development, maintenance and deployment can be managed well, and cost will be divided amongst the companies.

Benefits of Community Cloud

Smaller Investment — A community cloud is much cheaper than the private & public cloud and provides great performance
Setup Benefits — The protocols and configuration of a community cloud must align with industry standards. This allows customers to work much more efficiently

Limitations of Community Cloud

Shared Resources — Due to restricted bandwidth and storage capacity, community resources often pose challenges
Not as Popular — Since this is a recently introduced model, it is not that popular or available across industries

Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud model is a combination of public and private cloud. It is the second most popular model after the public cloud model as it combines the best of public and private cloud features.

In a hybrid model, companies can use their existing public cloud and also own on-premises systems. This model is extremely useful during a seamless transition between clouds over a period of time

Let’s understand the hybrid model better. A company that has critical data will prefer storing on a private cloud, while less sensitive data can be stored on a public cloud. The hybrid cloud is also frequently used for ‘cloud bursting’. It means, suppose an organization runs an application on-premises, but due to heavy load, they can burst into the public cloud.

Microsoft, Amazon, NetApp, Cisco, Google are some of the examples of a hybrid cloud model.

Benefits of Hybrid Cloud

Cost-Effectiveness — The overall cost of a hybrid solution decreases since it majorly uses the public cloud to store data
Security — Since data is properly segmented, the chances of data theft from attackers is significantly reduced
Flexibility — With higher levels of flexibility, businesses can create custom solutions that fit their exact requirements

Limitations of Hybrid Cloud

Complexity — It is complex setting up a hybrid cloud since it needs to integrate two or more cloud architectures
Specific Use Case — This model makes more sense for organizations that have multiple use cases or need to separate critical and sensitive data

A Comparative Analysis Of Cloud Deployment Models

With the below table we’ve attempted to analyze the key models with an overview of what each one can do for you

Conclusion

Each cloud deployment model has a unique offering and can immensely add value to your business. For small to medium-sized businesses, a public cloud is an ideal model to start with. And as your requirements change, you can switch over to a different deployment model. An effective strategy can be designed depending on your needs using the above-mentioned cloud deployment models.

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